Ghanaian zooms in on elevation of NSS to become authority after 50 years, others
APA – Accra (Ghana)
President Akufo-Addo’s affirmation of his government’s commitment to elevating the National Service Scheme (NSS) beyond its current role is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has affirmed his government’s commitment to elevating the National Service Scheme (NSS) beyond its current role.
Consequently, a new draft policy document has been developed to guide the implementation of its activities.
The President gave the assurance at the official launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the scheme in Accra yesterday.
He said in addition to the new policy document which was the first of its kind to be implemented by the scheme since its establishment in 1973, a draft bill would be developed and laid before Parliament for consideration and passage into law.
The new bill when passed into law, the President said, would transit the scheme from its current status into an authority providing it with the legal framework that would envisage deployment of a model corp.
President Akufo-Addo said the scheme through administrative arrangements had expanded further its scope of operations with the view to reposition itself to respond to the exigencies of the time.
President Akufo-Addo said the NSS was poised for comprehensive transformation agenda tied to the new strategic direction with other youth agencies to address specific employment needs of fresh graduates.
The newspaper says that the Assistant Director-General of the Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Dr Abebe Haile-Gabriel, has called for concerted effort in managing the country’s water resources.
According to him, even though water is life and the “unseen hero” of the world, its resources are been taken for granted thus depriving its profitable use.
Dr Haile-Gabriel made these remarks at a media briefing on the celebrations of this year’s World Food Day which falls on October 16, 2023.
The event which is the 78th anniversary of the FAO is being organised under the theme: Water is life, Water is food: Leave no one behind”.
Other activities planned for the event include Global Food Forum, flag raising ceremonies, public forums on water and food sustainability as well as Youth in Science and Innovation Farms workshop.
The world food forum he explained, would offer the platform for experts to adopt strategies in promoting sustainable agricultural and food systems.
The Assistant Director General stated that since Ghana depends mainly on rain-fed agriculture, there is the need to support government’s actions aimed at promoting agriculture.
Dr Haile-Gabriel said the devastating effects of climate change and the growing demand for the responsible water management systems called for actions in rethinking effective and efficient use of water resources.
The Senior Water Development and Management Officer at the FAO, Valera Nzeyimana, said about 70 per cent of the world water resources are used in agriculture while 85 per cent of wetlands are lost faster than forests.
He indicated that even though about 600 million people earn a living from agriculture, not much was being done to protect the water resources or to the extent of having a reliable water data road maps.
Mr Nzeyimana urged countries suffering from galamsey activities to adopt a common platform to nib the practice in the bud.
He charged the private sector to have a data plan on water usage, reduce pollution, invest in drought and salt resistance seeds as well as support aquaculture systems.
Mr Valere charged the academia to foster innovation and the youth to use their music to raise awareness on water and its importance.
The Ghanaian Times also reports that the family of the late former first lady, Mrs Theresa Kufuor yesterday called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra.
The visit was to formally inform him of the death of Mrs Kufuor which occurred last Sunday.
The delegation was led by Nana Amoah Gyawu Buahin, Awua Domase Akyempemhene.
Welcoming the delegation, President Akufo-Addo expressed his condolences to the family and asked them to stand firm in this trying moments.
He described the late former first lady as a very noble personality who discharged her duties with such honour and dignity.
He said he had known her for about 53 years and for all those years, Mrs Kufuor proved to be a very good woman who treated him with kindness and respect.
President Akufo-Addo said the late first lady would be given a full state funeral, adding that her contributions to the state could not be discounted.
The Spokesperson for the family, Mr Papa Kofi Mensah said the visit was in line with tradition and custom, and it was to formally inform him of the unfortunate passing of Mrs Kufuor.
It was also to inform the state of the one week commemoration of her demise and the formal arrangement towards her interment.
Mr Mensah said the funeral would be held in two phases with the first phase taking place in Accra, on November 16, 2023.
After which the final funeral rites and interment would be held in Kumasi on the November, 18 and 19, 2023.
The Graphic says that the new property rate collection platform, Myassembly.gov.gh, has accrued over GH¢20 million in three months of operation.
The amount was paid through voluntary compliance within the 52-day moratorium provided under the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).
Up to 70 per cent of the amount has since been transferred into the accounts of the relevant metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) where the properties are located, with the remainder disbursed as the cost of collection.
With the moratorium already elapsed, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), assisted by the MMDAs, says it will intensify nationwide enforcement as part of measures to ensure compliance with property rate payments.
It said further measures would include “highly visible prosecution of recalcitrant defaulters” in order to showcase the consequences of non-compliance of the law.
“The new property rate regime, which came to life in April this year, is expected to boost revenue mobilisation efforts of the MMDAs and the country in general,” the Head of Communications of the GRA Property Rate Project Office, Ernest Adade, said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra.
“Within two months, the system was able to generate GH¢10 million, and we were able to cross GH¢20 million in August; all of these are mainly voluntary payments under the moratorium or grace period,” he explained.
Hitherto, the assemblies on their own were collecting an average of GH¢56 million per year across the country.
GIK/APA
Ghanaian zooms in on elevation of NSS to become authority after 50 years, others

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